The 99 names of God or 99 names of Allah (Arabic: أسماء الله الحسنى‎ ʾasmāʾ allāh al-ḥusnā), are the Names of God by which Muslims regard God (Allah) and which are described in the Qur'an, and Sunnah, amongst other places. There is, according to hadith, a special group of 99 names but no enumeration of them. Thus the exact list is not agreed upon, and the Names of God (as adjectives, word constructs, or otherwise) exceed 99 in the Qur'an and Sunnah. According to a hadith narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud some of the names of God have been hidden from mankind, therefore there are not only 99 names of God but there are more.

Origin

According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad is said to have invoked Allah by a number of Names. According to a Sunni hadith, Sahih Muslim:

Abu Hurairah reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: There are ninety-nine names of Allah; he who commits them to memory would get into Paradise. Verily, Allah is Odd (He is one, and it is an odd number) and He loves odd numbers. And in the narration of Ibn 'Umar (the words are): "He who enumerated them."

— Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj Nishapuri, Sahih Muslim

Over time it became custom to recite a list of 99 Names, compiled by al-Walid ibn Muslim as an addendum to the hadith.

Mahmoud Abdel-Razek (2005) compiled an alternative list, endorsing only 69 from the list of al-Walid.

They are traditionally enumerated as 99 in number to which is added as the highest Name (al-ism al-ʾaʿẓam), the Supreme Name of God, Allāh. The locus classicus for listing the Divine Names in the literature of Qurʾānic commentary is 17:110, “Call upon God, or call upon The Merciful; whichsoever you call upon, to Him belong the most beautiful Names,” and also 59:22-24, which includes a cluster of more than a dozen Divine epithets.

List of Names and attributes of God as found in the Qur'an

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Arabic

Transliteration

Translation (can vary based on context)

Qur'anic usage

1

الرحمن

Ar-Raḥmān

The Exceedingly Compassionate, The Exceedingly Beneficent, The Exceedingly Gracious

Beginning of every chapter except one, and in numerous other places. Name frequently used in surah 55, Ar-Rahman [57 times in surah]

2

الرحيم

Ar- Raḥīm

The Exceedingly Merciful

Beginning of every chapter except one, and in numerous other places [114 times in surah]

3

الملك

Al-Malik

The King, The Owner

59:23, 20:114, 23:116

4

القدوس

Al-Quddūs

The Holy, The Divine

59:23, 62:1

5

السلام

As- Salām

The Peace, The Source of Peace and Safety

59:23

6

المؤمن

Al- Muʾmin

The Guarantor, The Affirming

59:23

7

المهيمن

Al-Muhaymin

The Guardian

59:23

8

العزيز

Al- ʿAzīz

The Almighty, The Invulnerable, The Honorable

3:6, 4:158, 9:40, 48:7, 59:23

9

الجبار

Al-Jabbār

The Irresistible, The Compeller

59:23

10

المتكبر

Al-Mutakabbir

The Majestic, The Supreme

59:23

11

الخالق

Al-Khāliq

The Creator

6:102, 13:16, 39:62, 40:62, 59:24

12

البارئ

Al-Bāriʾ

The Evolver, The Developer

59:24

13

المصور

Al-Muṣawwir

The Fashioner, The Shaper, The Designer

59:24

14

الغفار

Al-Ġaffār

The Repeatedly Forgiving

20:82, 38:66, 39:5, 40:42, 71:10

15

القهار

Al-Qahhār

The Subduer

12:39, 13:16, 14:48, 38:65, 39:4, 40:16

16

الوهاب

Al-Wahhāb

The Bestower

3:8, 38:9, 38:35

17

الرزاق

Ar-Razzāq

The Provider

51:58

18

الفتاح

Al-Fattāḥ

The Opener, The Victory Giver

34:26

19

العليم

Al-ʿAlīm

The Knowing

2:158, 3:92, 4:35, 24:41, 33:40

20

القابض

Al-Qābiḍ

The Restrainer, The Straightener

2:245

21

الباسط

Al-Bāsiṭ

The Extender / Expander

2:245

22

الخَافِض

Al-Khāfiḍ

The Abaser

56:3

23

الرافع

Ar-Rāfiʿ

The Exalter

58:11, 6:83

24

المعز

Al-Muʿizz

The Giver of Honour

3:26

25

المذل

Al-Muḏill

The Giver of Dishonour

3:26

26

السميع

As-Samīʿ

The All Hearing

2:127, 2:256, 8:17, 49:1

27

البصير

Al-Baṣīr

The All Seeing

4:58, 17:1, 42:11, 42:27

28

الحكم

Al-Ḥakam

The Judge, The Arbitrator

22:69

29

العدل

Al-ʿAdl

The Utterly Just

6:115

30

اللطيف

Al-Laṭīf

The Gentle, The Subtly Kind

6:103, 22:63, 31:16, 33:34

31

الخبير

Al-Khabīr

The All Aware

6:18, 17:30, 49:13, 59:18

32

الحليم

Al-Ḥalīm

The Forbearing, The Indulgent

2:235, 17:44, 22:59, 35:41

33

العظيم

Al-ʿAẓīm

The Magnificent

2:255, 42:4, 56:96

34

الغفور

Al-Ġafūr

The Much-Forgiving

2:173, 8:69, 16:110, 41:32

35

الشكور

Aš-Šakūr

The Grateful

35:30, 35:34, 42:23, 64:17

36

العلي

Al-ʿAlī

The Sublime

4:34, 31:30, 42:4, 42:51

37

الكبير

Al-Kabīr

The Great

13:9, 22:62, 31:30

38

الحفيظ

Al-Ḥafīẓ

The Preserver

11:57, 34:21, 42:6

39

المقيت

Al-Muqīt

The Nourisher

4:85

40

الحسيب

Al-Ḥasīb

The Bringer of Judgment

4:6, 4:86, 33:39

41

الجليل

Al-Ğalīl

The Majestic

55:27, 39:14, 7:143 This is a Questionable name.

42

الكريم

Al-Karīm

The Bountiful, The Generous

27:40, 82:6

43

الرقيب

Ar-Raqīb

The Watchful

4:1, 5:117

44

المجيب

Al-Muğīb

The Responsive, The Answer

11:61

45

الواسع

Al-Wāsiʿ

The Vast, The All-Embracing, The Omnipresent, The Boundless

2:268, 3:73, 5:54

46

الحكيم

Al-Ḥakīm

The Wise

31:27, 46:2, 57:1, 66:2

47

الودود

Al-Wadūd

The Loving

11:90, 85:14

48

المجيد

Al-Mağīd

All-Glorious, The Majestic

11:73

49

الباعث

Al-Bāʿiṯ

The Resurrecter

22:7 This is a Questionable name.

50

الشهيد

Aš-Šahīd

The Witness

4:166, 22:17, 41:53, 48:28

51

الحق

Al- Ḥaqq

The Truth, The Reality

6:62, 22:6, 23:116, 24:25

52

الوكيل

Al-Wakīl

The Trustee, The Dependable, The Advocate

3:173, 4:171, 28:28, 73:9

53

القوي

Al-Qawwī

The Strong

22:40, 22:74, 42:19, 57:25

54

المتين

Al-Matīn

The Firm, The Steadfast

51:58

55

الولي

Al-Walī

The Friend, Patron and Helper

4:45, 7:196, 42:28, 45:19

56

الحميد

Al-Ḥamīd

The All Praiseworthy

14:8, 31:12, 31:26, 41:42

57

المحصي

Al-Muḥṣī

The Accounter, The Numberer of All

72:28, 78:29, 82:10-12

58

المبدئ

Al-Mubdiʾ

The Originator, The Producer, The Initiator

10:34, 27:64, 29:19, 85:13

59

المعيد

Al-Muʿīd

The Restorer, The Reinstater Who Brings Back All

10:34, 27:64, 29:19, 85:13

60

المحيي

Al-Muḥyī

The Giver of Life

7:158, 15:23, 30:50, 57:2

61

المميت

Al-Mumīt

The Destroyer, The Bringer of Death

3:156, 7:158, 15:23, 57:2

62

الحي

Al-Ḥayy

The Living

2:255, 3:2, 25:58, 40:65

63

القيوم

Al-Qayyūm

The Subsisting, The Guardian

2:255, 3:2, 20:111

64

الواجد

Al-Wāğid

The Perceiver, The Finder, The Unfailing

38:44

65

الماجد

Al-Māğid

The Illustrious, The Magnificent

85:15, 11:73,

66

الواحد

Al-Wāḥid

The One, The Unique

2:163, 5:73, 9:31, 18:110

67

الاحد

Al-ʾAḥad

The Unity, The Indivisible

112:1

68

الصمد

Aṣ-Ṣamad

The Eternal, The Absolute, The Self-Sufficient

112:2

69

القادر

Al-Qādir

The Able

6:65, 36:81, 46:33, 75:40

70

المقتدر

Al-Muqtadir

The Determiner, The Dominant

18:45, 54:42, 54:55 This is a Questionable name.

71

المقدم

Al-Muqaddim

The Expediter, He Who Brings Forward

16:61, 17:34,

72

المؤخر

Al-Muʾakhkhir

The Delayer, He Who Puts Far Away

71:4

73

الأول

Al-ʾAwwal

The First, The Beginning-less

57:3

74

الأخر

Al-ʾAkḫir

The Last, The Endless

57:3

75

الظاهر

Aẓ-Ẓāhir

The Manifest, The Evident, The Outer

57:3

76

الباطن

Al-Bāṭin

The Hidden, The Unmanifest, The Inner

57:3

77

الوالي

Al-Wālī

The Patron, The Protecting Friend, The Friendly Lord

13:11, 22:7

78

المتعالي

Al-Mutaʿālī

The Supremely Exalted, The Most High

13:9

79

البر

Al-Barr

The Good, The Beneficent

52:28

80

التواب

At-Tawwāb

The Ever Returning, Ever Relenting

2:128, 4:64, 49:12, 110:3

81

المنتقم

Al-Muntaqim

The Avenger

32:22, 43:41, 44:16 This is not a name of Allaah: It is an attribute.

82

العفو

Al-ʿAfū

The Pardoner, The Effacer, The Forgiver

4:99, 4:149, 22:60

83

الرؤوف

Ar-Raʾūf

The Kind, The Pitying

3:30, 9:117, 57:9, 59:10

84

مالك الملك

Mālik-ul-Mulk

The Owner of all Sovereignty

3:26

85

ذو الجلال والإكرام

Dhū-l-Ğalāli wa-l-ʾikrām

The Lord of Majesty and Generosity

55:27, 55:78

86

المقسط

Al-Muqsiṭ

The Equitable, The Requiter

7:29, 3:18

87

الجامع

Al-Ğāmiʿ

The Gatherer, The Unifier

3:9

88

الغني

Al-Ġanī

The Rich, The Independent

3:97, 39:7, 47:38, 57:24

89

المغني

Al-Muġnī

The Enricher, The Emancipator

9:28

90

المانع

Al-Māniʿ

The Withholder, The Shielder, The Defender

67:21

91

الضار

Aḍ-Ḍārr

The Distressor, The Harmer, The Afflictor

6:17

92

النافع

An-Nāfiʿ

The Propitious, The Benefactor, The Source of Good

30:37

93

النور

An-Nūr

The Light

24:35 This is an attribute of Allaah.

94

الهادي

Al-Hādī

The Guide, The Way

22:54

95

البديع

Al-Badīʿ

The Incomparable, The Unattainable

2:117, 6:101

96

الباقي

Al-Bāqī

The Immutable, The Infinite, The Everlasting

55:27

97

الوارث

Al-Wāriṯ

The Heir, The Inheritor of All

15:23, 57:10

98

الرشيد

Ar-Rašīd

The Guide to the Right Path

2:256, 72:10

99

الصبور

Aṣ-Ṣabūr

The Timeless, The Patient

2:153, 3:200, 103:3 This is a Questionable name.

The greatest name

The 99 names point to the inherent unity of the all-embracing Greatest Name(Ismi Azam). In Islamic traditions, it is stated "The Greatest Name of Allah is the one which if He [Allah] is called (prayed to) by it, He will Answer."

Personal names

According to Islamic tradition, a Muslim may not be given any of the 99 names of Allah in exactly the same form. For example, nobody may be named al-Malik (The King), but may be named Malik (King). This is because of the belief that Allah is almighty, and no human being is the equivalent of Allah, and no human being will ever be the equivalent of Allah. Muslims are allowed to use the 99 names of Allah for themselves but should not put 'Al' at the front of them.

However the names of Allah can be combined with the word " ‘Abd-" which means "servant/Worshiper" (of Allah) and are commonly used as personal names among Muslims. For example ‘Abd ar-Raḥmān ("Servant of the Most Compassionate/the Beneficent"). The two parts of the name may be written separately (as above) or combined as one transliterated name; in such a case, the vowel transcribed after ‘Abd is often written as u when the two words are transcribed as one: e.g., Abdurrahman, Abdul'aziz, " Abdul Jabbar", or even Abdullah ("Servant of Allah"). (This has to do with Arabic case vowels, the final u vowel showing the normal "quote" nominative/vocative case form: ‘abd-u.)

Some Muslim people have names resembling those 99. Examples include:

Rahmaan, seperti Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais.

Salaam, such as Salam Fayyad.

Jabbaar, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Hakeem, such as Sherman "Abdul Hakim" Jackson.

Ra'oof, such as Ra'ouf Mus'ad.

Malik

Views of other religions

Bábí and Bahá'í view

Bahá'í sources state that the 100th name was revealed as " Bahá’" (an Arabic word بهاء meaning "glory, splendor" etc.), which is the root word for Bahá'u'lláh and Bahá'í. They also believe that it is the 'Greatest Name'. The Báb wrote a noted pentagram-shaped tablet with 360 derivatives of the word "Bahá'" used in it.

According to Bahá'í scholar ‘Abdu’l-Hamíd Ishráq-Khávari, Baha' ad-Din al-`Amili adopted the pen name ( takhallus) 'Baha' after being inspired by words of Shi'a Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (the fifth Imam) and Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (the sixth Imam), who had stated that the Greatest Name of God was included in either Du'ay-i-Sahar or A`amaal Ummi Dawud. In the first verse of the Du'ay-i-Sahar, a dawn prayer for Ramadan, the name "Bahá" appears four times: "Allahumma inni as 'aluka min Bahá' ika bi Abháh va kulla Bahá' ika Bahí".